Bag in a box for frozen eggs or the like

ABSTRACT

This container is formed of a paperboard or corrugated box in which is embodied a tough, thermoplastic, heat-sealed liner bag, particularly useful for shipping frozen eggs or like perishable commodities. The preferred material of the liner bag consists of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. The liner bag is made of a sheet folded to form a gusseted bottom and sealed along the side edges to form a bag with a full opening at the top. The container has median fold lines in opposed sides and top and bottom flaps hinged thereto. The top flaps are formed with V-cut portions which overlie each other in the assembled box to form a keyhole slot. The liner bag is detachably secured within the container and to the flaps by an adhesive pattern in small spots by a weak bond, whereby, when the container and flaps are in the erected position, the top portion of the bag is pulled open for filling. After filling, the top of the bag is pulled from the flaps and gathered to close the bag. The closed and gathered top is threaded through the keyhole slot in the top flaps which overlap to hold the closed bag top in place. The bottom flaps of the container may be cut away to form tongue and groove portions to provide an interlocking bottom closure.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Joseph Marchben llightstown, NJ. [21 Appl. No. 846,754 [22] Filed Aug. 1, 1969 [45] Patented Apr. 27, 1971 [73] Assignee Union Camp Corporation New York, N.Y.

[$4] BAG IN A BOX FOR FROZEN EGGS OR THE LIKE 4 Claims, 11 Drawing Figs. [52] US. 229/38, 229/ 1 4, 229/39 [51] Int. Cl. B65d 5/10, 865d 5/56 [50] Field ofSearch 229/14, 37, 39, 38

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,985,111 12/1934 Shofer et al 229/14Bl 2,170,378 8/1939 Orstrom 229/14B 2,250,249 7/ 1941 Bergstein 229/14BW 2,493,337 1/1950 Buttery 229/14B 3,365,134 1/1968 229/39 Oberreich Primary Examiner--David M. Bockenek Attorney-Abraham A. Saffitz ABSTRACT: This container is formed of a paperboard or corthe liner bag consists of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. The

liner bag is made of a sheet folded to form a gusseted bottom and sealed along the side edges to form a bag with a full opening at the top. The container has median fold lines in opposed sides and top and bottom flaps hinged thereto. The top flaps are formed with V-cut portions which overlie each other in the assembled box to fonn a keyhole slot. The liner bag is detachably secured within the container and to the flaps by an adhesive pattern in small spots by a weak bond, whereby, when the container and flaps are in the erected position, the top portion of the bag is pulled open for filling. After filling, the top of the bag is pulled from the flaps and gathered to close the bag. The closed and gathered top is threaded through the keyhole slot in the top flaps which overlap to hold the closed bag top in place. The bottom flaps of the container may be cutaway to form tongue and groove portions to provide an interlocking bottom closure.

PATENTEDAPRZYB?! 35 529 sum l UF 2 6|a 30 601" 30 6Ib Y 33 Er v JOSEPH MARCHISEN ATTORNEY PATENTED APRZ'! um SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTOR JOSEPH MARCHISEN ATTORNEY BAG IN A BOX FOR FROZEN EGGS OR THE LIKE This invention relates to a collapsible shipping container and, more particularly, to a container wherein a tough, high strength liner bag is adhesively secured within a box, both elements being collapsible and folded flat when empty, and the bag being detachably removable for emptying the filled contents thereof.

This invention incorporates an improvement over the shipping containers disclosed and claimed in copending application, Ser. No. 770,998 filed by K. R. Rahenkamp on Oct. 28, 1969, entitled Bag-ln-A-Box With Spout Opening" and in the copending application, Ser. No. 607,550, filed by W. Egger et al. on Jan. 5, 1967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,357 entitled Bag-ln-A-Box and Method of Forming." While the containers disclosed in the above pending application and patent are effective in carrying out the objects of the invention, the container disclosed herein has advantages for certain purposes over the containers disclosed in the pending applications, particularly with regard to erecting the container for filling and for closing and locking the liner bag in fixed position in respect to the top closure flaps of the box.

An object of this invention is to provide a tough, high strength liner bag for a rectangular container incorporating a gusseted bottom and a novel spot adhesive pattern using breakaway adhesive to facilitate the gluing of the bag to the inner walls of the container so that the pockets formed in the bag bottom open upwardly toward the container opening to assure that all of the product will pour out of these pockets.

Another object is to provide a liner for a collapsible container, which liner is secured to the top flaps of the container by a novel adhesive pattern which permits the top of the bag to be pulled away and gathered for closing and for locking in the flaps of the top closure of the box after filling.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rectangular container having a liner bag secured therein, the container being provided with a keyhole slotted flap top closure through which the gathered top of the bag projects for locking purposes. Thereafter, the closed liner bag is enclosed in the container by merely folding and securing the top container flaps.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in. the article hereinafter described and the scope of the invention which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the box blank, showing the folds and spot adhesive areas;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a high strength, bottom gusseted plastic bag showing the inverse fold at the bottom;

FIG. 2a is a section along lines 2a-2a in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the blank showing the plastic bag attached thereto and the arrangement of glued spots;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the box with the bag secured inside;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the bottom of the box, showing how the bag opens as the box is formed into its square shape;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the top of the box, showing the top of the bag when the box is being formed;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the top of the box, showing the gathering of the plastic bag after filling;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the top of the box, showing partially closed flaps and the keyhole slot at the center for retaining the gathered end of the bag;

FIG. 8a is a diagrammatic view showing the retention of the gathered bag in the central keyhole slot; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the complete and sealed box, showing the locked top.

Referring now to the drawing, FIG. I shows a flat, substantially rectangular blank 10 of sheet material, such as corrugated paperboard, high strength fiberboard, or the like, of a weight suitable for the type of carton to be constructed. The sheet material is preferably coated with a waterproofing agent, such as wax or thermoplastic material, which is tough at low temperatures, e.g., during freezing.

The blank consists of substantially rectangular side portions ll, l2, l3 and 14, top flaps 15, 16, 17 and 18, and bottom flaps 19,20, 21 and 22. The top flaps 15, 16, 17 and 18 are attached to side portions 11, 12, 13 and 14, respectively, along a longitudinal score line 23. Top flaps 16 and 18 are slightly longer than top flaps l5 and 17. Top flap 17 is formed with tongue 60T which fits into slot 608 in top flap 15.

The bottom flaps 19, 20, 21 and 22 are attached to side portions 11, 12, 13 and 14, respectively, along a longitudinal score line 24. Bottom flap 21 is formed with a tongue 6ST and bottom flap 19 is formed with a rectangular recess 658 to accommodate the tongue of flap 21 in interlocked relation when the bottom of the box is set up.

The side portions are attached together along score lines 25, 26 and 27 which score lines are normal to and extend between the longitudinal score lines 23 and 24. The normal score lines 25 26 and 27 and the longitudinal score lines 23 and 24 effectively define the side portions 11, 12, 13 and 14.

The side portion 12 and its adjacent top and bottom flaps l6 and 20 are traversed by a normal median fold line 28 which has a V-cut portion 61a at the upper edge of flap 16. Similarly, the side portion 14 and its adjacent top and bottom flaps 18 and 22 are traversed by a normal median fold line 29 which has a V-cutout portion 61b at the upper edge of flap 18. Extending outwardly from the longitudinal score line 23, coaxially with the normal score lines 25, 26 and 27, are slots 30 which separate the top flaps 15, 16, 17 and 18 from each other, The slots 30 facilitate the manipulation of the top flaps and the bending at the score lines when the container is in a skewed condition. An adhesive flap 31 is secured to the side portion 11 along score line 32 for forming the blank into a tube.

The bottom is formed from the blank illustrated by folding flap 19 into a horizontal position, folding flaps 20 and 22 over the flap l9 and into the same plane, and then folding flap 21 over the other flaps with tongue 6ST inserted into the recess 658. The trapezoidal cutouts facilitate the folding and locking of the bottom flaps. This provides a level interfit at the bottom of the box which permits the box to be squared in relation to the sides and at the same time prevents any damage due to pinching of the bottom of the gusseted liner as compared with the ordinary squared bottom in which the flaps form a double thickness. It will be understood that other forms of bottom closure can be used to provide a flat bottom for the box.

The type of pinching of the bag liner which could occur accidentally is that which is shown in FIG. 6 of Einhorn US. Pat. No. 3,051,367. In this Einhorn patent, a special pinching interlock is provided to hold the top of a bag or flexible plastic liner at the corner where the top side flaps fold inwardly under the top front and back flaps. The purpose of this pinching of the plastic liner in Einhorn is to lock it. If this accidentally occurred in the present bag and box construction for frozen eggs, it would not be possible to remove the gusseted bag by pulling up on the top of the bag to break away the adhesive spots at the inside of the box.

In the two lower corners of each of panels 11 and 13 are breakaway spot adhesive spots 33. The size of the adhesive spots depends upon the size of the container and the nature and density of the packaged contents.

Additional breakaway adhesive spots 35 are disposed somewhat adjacent the outer corners of top flaps l5 and 17 to hold the top of the bag liner. The adhesive spots 33 and 35 are of a nonpermanent type and form a weak bond so that they break away under a small force, yet the adhesive spots are strong enough to hold the bag in position while the bag is filled with liquid or frozen contents and when the contents are emptied, after storage, without removing the bag.

Thus, the purpose of the above-described adhesive spots 33 is to secure the sides of the liner bag to the side panels 11 and 13 of the box to prevent shifting of the bag and to permit the bag to conform to the shape of the box when the collapsed container is erected. The spots 35 secure the top of the liner bag to the flaps 15 and 17 of the box so that, when the collapsed container is erected, the sides of the bag are pulled apart with the bag liner open at the top end for filling the bag. When the flaps l and 17 are moved backwards into horizontal position, the weak bond adhesive at 35 breaks away and the top of the filled bag is gathered and threaded through the keyhole formed at V-portions 61a and 61b when flaps 16 and 18 are infolded.

It is desirable and necessary to completely empty the contents so that substantially no vestiges of the contents remain which can decompose and cause nuisance or health problems. It has been determined that the liquid egg contents can be removed from the bag in a box 8"Xl2" to leave a residue of less than three ounces of liquid egg and that this residue can be washed out with water to eliminate any nuisance or health problems.

FIG. 2 shows a bag liner or pouch 45 made of a tough polymer, preferably ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer which is capable of being enclosed in the blank 10. The bag 45 is flexible, impervious to liquids and has the additional advantage of hermetically uniting under heat without forming weakened comers as in the case of polyethylene. This ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer material has a thermoplastic characteristic of being positively sealed by the application of heat and pressure.

Bag 45 is fonned from a single sheet which is folded inwardly at the bottom to form a gusset and walls or sides 46 and 47. This sheet is sealed at the vertical edges 49 to form a tube with an open top 51. When the vertical edges are sealed the bottom 48 is infoldcd between walls 46 and 47 when the liner is in collapsed position, as shown in FIG. 2a.

Thus, the bag structure has a full wide opening at the top, walls and a bottom which do not form sharp angles with each other as in the prior art bag constructions, which sharp angles entrap and facilitate sticking of the contents to the bag. The present bag liner can be completely and quickly emptied.

Of course, the size and proportioning of the liner bag is determined by the size of the container it lines. In assembly, blank 10 is cut and scored and the adhesive sport 33 and 35 are printed thereon, as shown in FIG. I. Bag 45 is placed upon blank 10 to fit on adhesive spots 33 on side 13 and on adhesive spots 35 on top panel 17 and extends over sides 12 and 14 to the median fold lines 28 and 29, respectively. The bottom edges of bag 45 line up substantially with bottom score line 24 of side 13 as shown in FIG. 3. The bag is proportioned to extend within the above dimensions of a particular sized container.

The blank 10 is then folded inwardly about median fold lines 28 and 29 so that the outer edges of sides 11 and 14 are in abutting relation, as shown in FIG. 4, and tab 31 overlies a portion of side 11 and is bonded thereto by a suitable adhesive. Adhesive spots 33 and 35 on side 11 and top panel 15, respectively, adhere such side and panel to the side of bag 45. Thus, a tubelike structure is formed enclosing bag 45.

Because of the location of breakaway adhesive spots 33 on sides 11 and 13 and of spots 35 on top flaps and 17 which secure sides 46 and 47 of the bag near their corner portions, the formation of the tube shown in FIG. 4 and the erection of the container shown in FIG. 6 facilitate the opening of the bag.

To set up the container the median fold lines 28 and 29 are pushed inwardly so that the flat tubular blank 10 forms a quadrilateral container. As the container assumes its shape (FIG. 5), gusseted, infoldcd bottom 48 of bag 45, because of its novel shape and manner of its connection to walls 46 and 47 and because of the adhesive spots securing bag 45 to sides 11 and 13, forms a substantially flat base with relatively few sharp angles between it and the sides of the bag which is unusually strong and resistant to breakage. There is no formation of foldlike spaces between the bottom and sides of bag 45 to entrap or retain any of the packaged contents. Any pockets formed in the bag bottom open upwardly toward the container opening to assure that all of the pocket will pour out of these pockets. The location of the adhesive spots on the comers of sides 11 and 13 prevents the thin flexible walls of liner bag 45 from forming into folds which tend to entrap the contents. The bag resists embrittlement or cracking by freezing. The bag can be fabricated in sterile form and is resistant to weakening or breakage from heat sealing or mechanical forces.

Pushing median fold lines 28 and 29 inwardly also expands the top of bag 45 (FIG. 6). Because of the location of the adhesive spots 35, the top of sides 46 and 47 adjacent the unsealed portion or opening 51 spreads. The contents are poured into bag 45 through this opening 51. The bag expands fully within the container walls without formation of any troublesome folds.

As shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 8a, after bag 45 is filled, opening 51 is closed by merely breaking the bag top away from the container flaps and gathering the top. After gathering the top of the liner bag 45 and securing the gathered top in the center keyhole formed by top flaps 16 and 18, flaps l5 and 17 are infolded to seal the top ofthe carton. The closed container is obtained, as shown in FIG. 9. It will be understood that flaps 15 and 17 can be of conventional construction without the tongue and slot, but in such case it will be necessary to use some securing means such as adhesive or tape.

Iclaim:

1. A collapsed shipping container comprising:

a quadrilateral box having a bottom, hing ed top flaps and median fold lines traversing two opposed sides of the box and adjacent top flaps of the two opposed sides;

an open top, bottom gusseted bag lying in flat condition between said median fold lines within the collapsed box;

adhesive spots to secure the sides of the glat bag to inner surfaces of the box;

the two hingedly secured top flaps with median fold lines being each formed with a V-cut portion at the top edge of the fold line, the two V-cut portions coming together when said flaps are folded inwardly to form a keyhole slot which is adapted to retain the gathered top of the bag when the gathered top is threaded therethrough;

said two other top flaps adjacent the two opposite sides projecting from said other two sides to fold inwardly to seal said top; and,

a pair of breakaway adhesive spots securing each side of the top of the bag to top flaps of the box adjacent the median fold lines, which spots hold the top edges of the open bag in spaced apart relation when the box is erected in open position, one of said two other top flaps being provided with a tongue and the other being provided with a rectangular slot portion adjacent the upper edge, said tongue fitting into said rectangular slot to close the box after the top of the bag has been pulled away from the breakaway adhesive spots on said other top flaps.

2. A collapsed shipping container comprising:

a quadrilateral box having hinged top flaps and hinged bottom flaps and median fold lines traversing two opposed sides of the box and their adjacent top and bottom flaps;

an open top bag lying in flat condition between said median fold lines within the collapsed box, said flat bag having a gusseted bottom;

adhesive spots to secure the flat bag to the inside of the box, said adhesive spots being adapted to break away to permit separation of the bag from the box;

the two hingedly secured top flaps with median fold lines being each formed with a V-cut portion at the top edge of the fold line, the two V-cut portions coming together when said flaps are folded inwardly to form a keyhole slot which is adapted to retain the gathered top of the bag when the gathered top is threaded therethrough; and

said other two adjacent top flaps projecting from said other two sides to fold inwardly to seal said top.

tom edges, respectively.

4. A collapsed shipping container as claimed in claim 1,

wherein said gusseted bag is formed of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. 

1. A collapsed shipping container comprising: a quadrilateral box having a bottom, hinged top flaps and median fold lines traversing two opposed sides of the box and adjacent top flaps of the two opposed sides; an open top, bottom gusseted bag lying in flat condition between said median fold lines within the collapsed box; adhesive spots to secure the sides of the glat bag to inner surfaces of the box; the two hingedly secured top flaps with median fold lines being each formed with a V-cut portion at the top edge of the fold line, the two V-cut portions coming together when said flaps are folded inwardly to form a keyhole slot which is adapted to retain the gathered top of the bag when the gathered top is threaded therethrough; said two other top flaps adjacent the two opposite sides projecting from said other two sides to fold inwardly to seal said top; and, a pair of breakaway adhesive spots securing each side of the top of the bag to top flaps of the box adjacent the median fold lines, which spots hold the top edges of the open bag in spaced apart relation when the box is erected in open position, one of said two other top flaps being provided with a tongue and the other being provided with a rectangular slot portion adjacent the upper edge, said tongue fitting into said rectangular slot to close the box after the top of the bag has been pulled away from the breakaway adhesive spots on said other top flaps.
 2. A collapsed shipping container comprising: a quadrilateral box having hinged top flaps and hinged bottom flaps and median fold lines traversing two opposed sides of the box and their adjacent top and bottom flaps; an open top bag lying in flat condition between said median fold lines within the collapsed box, said flat bag having a gusseted bottom; adhesive spots to secure the flat bag to the inside of the box, said adhesive spots being adapted to break away to permit separation of the bag from the box; the two hingedly secured top flaps with median fold lines being each formed with a V-cut portion at the top edge of the fold line, the two V-cut portions coming together when said flaps are folded inwardly to form a keyhole slot which is adapted to retain the gathered top of the bag when the gathered top is threaded therethrough; and said other two adjacent top flaps projecting from said other two sides to fold inwardly to seal said top.
 3. A collapsed shipping container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom of said container is interlocked and is formed by two pairs of opposed bottom projecting flaps, one of said pairs projecting from said sides with the median fold lines being formed with trapezoidal cutout sections and the other of said pairs being formed with tongue and groove bottom edges, respectively.
 4. A collapsed shipping container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said gusseted bag is formed of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. 